Desmond to sell C5, could this spell the end of BB
Paace
Posts: 14,679 Forum Member
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Had no idea Richard Desmond owner of Channel 5 was planning to sell the tv station .
He only purchased it in 2010 for £103.5 million and hopes to sell it for £700 million .
Looks like the future of BB is uncertain or whoever takes over might give it a different direction .
http://www.theguardian.com/media/2014/jan/02/richard-desmond-sale-channel-5
He only purchased it in 2010 for £103.5 million and hopes to sell it for £700 million .
Looks like the future of BB is uncertain or whoever takes over might give it a different direction .
http://www.theguardian.com/media/2014/jan/02/richard-desmond-sale-channel-5
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The contestants may get more opportunities on leaving as well and a but of money in their pockets if they aren't contractually obliged to do Ok anymore.
Pray that he fails to sell C5. please.
Isn't Big Brother Channel 5's highest rated programme? If someone else did buy Channel 5 I don't know if they would ditch Big Brother.
I think he's trying to offload C5 before he has to hand over another large cheque to Endemol.
And then of course depending on who the buyer is,they may not want BB and the baggage that goes with it.
Channel 5 sucks!! then again all terrestrial TV does I only watch two shows on normal channels that's Top Gear and Big Brother! other than that SKY FTW!!
Though I bet RD knocks a tenner off the price for retaining exclusive rights to the HM's stories etc
It's had Justified, Sons of Anarchy, and The Walking Dead, all acclaimed, high rating imports. They may also be on Netflix but at least C5 is free.
It's also screened some decent movies, which were a world away from its soft focus, TV movie of the week output of 15 years ago.
C5 was getting better, but picking up BB sent it back down-market.
No it wasn't and no it didn't...its allowed C5 to make the channel more mainstream and enjoyable.
There's nothing about that on media industry websites such as www.theguardian.com/media and www.broadcastnow.co.uk.
ITV would be unlikely to be allowed to own C5, as it would make them too powerful.
As I recall C5 was on its knees before Desmond bought it.
Shows pre Desmond seemed to consist of food reality and obscure sport events.
C5 Have recently picked up some great tv shows and with big brother its becoming a channel more and more people are tuning into while other channels are losing their audience.
Of course 5 is not upmarket but your post sugests it was heading that way prior to big brother so id like examples of what shows were removed that may have led 5 to going upmarket.
Are any of the terrestrial channels upmarket?
BBC certainly isint and CH4 seem desperate to grab the same market as C5..As for ITV,I think they are as downmarket as it goes.
Maybe a definition of upmarket/downmarket might help to seperate terrestrial mainstream TV channels but from what I see they are all pretty much a sameness ( possible exception BBC2/BBC4 ) but their viewing figures dont sugest we need another terrestrial upmarket channel..theres plenty of alternative channels both free and subscription for those wanting arts/topical debate ).
The fact is the more channels we have the more dumbed down our TV becomes,IMO 5 has not gone further downmarket with big brother,its developing the channel into a niche market for certain agegroups and thats important for a channel to survive.
I suspect that's what's behind the recent dropping of various shows and Ben Frow going from just before Christmas saying a live feed in the summer will more than likely be "like last year" then yesterday telling Shell "will be lucky for any". That would suggest Desmond is on a massive savings exercise again. There's also a private hedge fund that might be looking to buy his Health lottery.
Discovery USA have asked for a buyers pack on C5. Seeing as the make shows like Here comes honey boo boo etc the prospect of BB might appeal to them.
Product placement and adverts on the feed should provide some capitol to cover costs,utilise product placement to encourage more interest with companies looking for advertising on the cheap.
Also a huge saving could be made if they ditch CBB in summer,they spend a few million on a series to get the names..why not invest that money in normal BB and a fantastic winter lineup for CBB..As someone else said the winter ones seem the best and summer cbb all seems rushed and ill thought out.
Theres money to be made from BB if they cut back on the right things and improve the issues like live feed.
Agree totally.
ITs a shame that still C5 don't take that leap of Faith and take that chance. The field has changed so much and still they go on what happened at C4. A station that claimed creative renewal would take place once BB left. Years on they are just floating around.
all the numbers 150k online viewers watching the feed in 2002 it was 150k viewers per night watching the online feed last summer.
back in 2002 they were paying customers. Its also not dawned on them once a viewer becomes more integrated with the HM's the chances are they will spend money voting for the people they are supporting etc.
They have had 4 surveys on the C5 website about BB and questions on the Live feed and other aspects of the show. They talk about money but apparently that Boxer in the last CBB was paid 600k for one week if that figure is true its time Endemol and C5 got real
and put the money into the bigger picture. they got the best value out of some of the cheapest HM's.
If the station is sold before the Summer I just hope its bought by owners that can see potential and not bogged down in the Myths of C4 that basically lost all faith in this show once it couldn't handle the scandals anymore.
Ben frow and Richard Desmond got folders on how other BB's do sponsorships in a much more subtle fashion than we have seen here.
it goes from logos on Tshirts. Cold drinks machine/coffee makers
and little logos on the stairs leading out of the house. It doesn't sound like much but its enabled out countries to have things like feeds etc
Okay a bit blatant but its paid for feeds (given for free)
https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc1/382359_402432469872375_1189335065_n.jpg
Softdrinks on display HM's can take when they want
https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc3/970481_394261607356128_602502826_n.jpg
A special meal but a food sponsor
https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/283923_394119017370387_1771829093_n.jpg
I think it might happen.
Could explain why he's dropped a lot of US imports and the feelers going out do seem serious the only bit that's totally bonkers is the asking price of 700 million. the idea (apparently) was if no buyer for BB was found Endemol were going to take the show online via you tube and get the money from sponsors on there